Food and drink reviews, taste tests, buying guides and advice

Quick links: Bread, cereal and grains Dairy Diet foods Drinks Eating out Food warnings and safety

Cadbury Favourites, Cadbury Roses and Celebrations boxes

December 4, 2025

Roses, Favourites and Celebrations – which chocolate box is best?

Which variety box is best for nut lovers or fruit-goo fans? Which chocolates are the most and least liked in each box? And which one has gone up a whopping 53% in price since 2020?

glazed christmas ham being sliced on a wooden board

December 3, 2025

Who is selling this year’s best supermarket Christmas ham?

Our experts reveal the best tasting hams from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA.

eighteen different tinned tomatoes products

November 13, 2025

The best tinned tomatoes in our taste test

We sampled 18 diced or chopped tomatoes from leading brands to find which tasted best.

person wearing an apron holding a loaf of sourdough bread

October 9, 2025

The laziest-ever sourdough recipe for cheap and easy bread

Sourdough doesn’t have to be complicated. This super-simplified method will produce a tasty loaf without the hassle.

Reusable water bottles

Black tea bags

Bubble tea

Hot chocolate

Instant coffee

Reusable coffee cups

Hummus

Mayonnaise

Pesto

Strawberry jam

Tomato sauce

Vegemite and other ‘mites’

Baked beans

Chocolate chip cookies

Frozen chips

Muesli bars

Pasta

Supermarket ready meals

Bread, cereal and grains

Bread Cereal and muesli

October 9, 2025

The laziest-ever sourdough recipe for cheap and easy bread

Sourdough doesn’t have to be complicated. This super-simplified method will produce a tasty loaf without the hassle.

August 13, 2025

Muesli bars from Uncle Tobys, Woolworths, Coles and Aldi compared

We rated strawberry yoghurt muesli bars from four brands on taste, price and healthiness to find the best.

March 20, 2025

Best hot cross buns we tasted: Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, Bakers Delight and more

We taste-tested supermarket and bakery hot cross buns to find the best for your table this Easter.

pack shots of the four new flavours of not cross buns for 2025

February 13, 2025

Not cross buns: Culinary crime or tasty treat?

From nostalgic flavours to iconic Aussie mash-ups, we taste test the Not Cross Buns on the shelves this Easter.

19 hot cross buns reviewed

Dairy

Butter and cheese Milk Yoghurt and ice cream

vanilla ice cream cone and ice cream in a scoop

October 8, 2025

Coles and Aldi top vanilla ice cream taste tests

We tested 25 vanilla ice creams from leading brands to find which tasted the best.

aldi crowns classic vanilla and streets cornetto classico vanilla ice cream packs

November 12, 2024

Cornetto vs Crowns taste test: Does the Aldi dupe taste as good as the original?

The OG ice cream treat costs more than twice as much as Aldi's lookalike version – but does it taste twice as good?

July 31, 2024

The best cheese slices from Aldi, Coles, Woolies, Bega, Cracker Barrel and more

We review supermarket cheddar cheese slices to find the best tasting and healthiest.

store bought icecream vs homemade icecream bowl on teal

October 6, 2023

Homemade vs supermarket ice cream: Which tastes better?

Could our taste testers tell the difference? And is making your own ice cream worth the effort?

25 vanilla ice-cream reviewed

Diet foods

Health and weight loss

May 25, 2018

Weight loss tea – does it work?

Do slimming teas help you lose weight? We look at the evidence.

August 6, 2014

Low GI diet

Being GI smart can help with diabetes and weight loss.

healthy looking glazed salmon with salad

August 6, 2014

Food to lower your cholesterol

Which cholesterol-lowering foods work best?

Drinks

Alcohol Juices and smoothies Sports drinks, energy drinks and soft drinks Tea and coffee Water

closeup of person holding a reusable coffee cup

May 13, 2024

How to shop for the best reusable coffee cup

You may have heard of brands like KeepCup, Yeti and Thermos, but there's more to consider than just a name.

March 8, 2024

Do you need a water filter in Australia?

Is your tap water good enough to drink, or should you buy a water filter to get a better quality drop?

March 7, 2024

Which brand of tea bag makes the best tasting cuppa?

Our experts taste test tea from Lipton, Dilmah, T2, Twinings and more, and we also take a look at health benefits.

March 7, 2024

What makes the perfect cup of tea?

We asked experts and average Aussies how they take their tea, and reveal which tea bag earned the top spot in our recent test.

32 black tea bags reviewed

Eating out

Fast food and home delivery

hellofresh_and_marley_spoon_boxes_side_by_side

April 7, 2025

HelloFresh vs Marley Spoon: Which food box is best?

We compare two popular meal kit delivery services for price, quality, variety and convenience.

a_box_of_produce_and_plated_up_meals_in_bowls

October 17, 2024

Meal delivery services compared: HelloFresh, Marley Spoon, Youfoodz, The Dinner Ladies and more

We review popular meal delivery services for ease of ordering, freshness, recipe accuracy and more.

person taking ingredients out of a meal delivery kit

October 16, 2024

How we review meal delivery services

We explain our scoring and methods for assessing food box and prepared meal delivery services.

October 31, 2022

Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Hello Fresh, Pepper Leaf and Everyplate: 5 things we learned when we reviewed food box deliveries

Thinking about a meal delivery or food box service? Here's what CHOICE experts discovered when they put them to the test

15 food boxes and meal delivery reviewed

Food warnings and safety

Food additives Food safety Pesticides Plastic

burnt christmas chicken christmas food fails

December 7, 2023

10 Christmas lunch mistakes and how to avoid them

CHOICE staff reveal their own Christmas food fails, so you can learn from their mistakes.

June 2, 2023

Latest food recalls 2023 from Aldi, Leggo’s, Woolworths and other brands

Details of the latest food products affected, why they're being recalled, who's at risk and what you need to do to stay safe.

reusable food safe covers on containers and fruit

September 9, 2021

Reducing waste at home with reusable food covers

The pros and cons of reusable food covers such as beeswax wraps and reusable sandwich bags.

raw chicken in container food safety food poisoning

June 4, 2021

How to avoid food poisoning

Contaminated food can be hard to spot, but it helps to know what to look for whether you're at home or eating out.

Groceries

Fruit and vegetables Herbs and spices Packaged foods Sauces, dressings and spreads

November 13, 2025

The best tinned tomatoes in our taste test

We sampled 18 diced or chopped tomatoes from leading brands to find which tasted best.

September 25, 2025

Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA home brands in fruit pastry bake-off

We baked – and taste-tested – fruit pastries using home-brand ingredients to see which supermarket had the best.

August 6, 2025

Bone broths and stocks compared

We compare 17 products from brands including Campbells, Maggie Beer, Matt Moran, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.

bowl of pumpkin soup with four supermarket logos

June 25, 2025

How to make the best pumpkin soup

We made soup with ingredients from Woolies, Coles, IGA and Aldi. CHOICE taste-testers picked the yummiest one.

18 tinned tomatoes reviewed

Meat, fish and eggs

Eggs Fish Meat Meat substitutes

December 3, 2025

Who is selling this year’s best supermarket Christmas ham?

Our experts reveal the best tasting hams from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA.

April 24, 2025

Australia votes: The best democracy sausage

We taste tested budget bangers from Coles, Woolies and Aldi. Which sausage was elected as the favourite?

chicken nuggets on board with tomato sauce

June 5, 2024

Which brand makes the tastiest and healthiest supermarket chicken nuggets?

We taste-test chicken nuggets from Woolworths, Coles, Steggles, Ingham's and more to find the best.

December 21, 2023

How to buy seafood that’s actually sustainable

Our supermarket seafood investigation reveals how hard it is to tell genuine sustainability claims from greenwashing.

12 christmas hams reviewed

Nutrition

Fats Food labelling Nutrition advice Sugar Superfoods

February 20, 2023

What is the Health Star Rating system?

We look at how the ratings are applied and how they can help Australians make healthier choices.

several bottles and cans of nootropic drinks on a grey background

August 10, 2022

Are nootropic drinks a brain-enhancing elixir?

We investigate whether these on-trend drinks can really improve your brain function.

November 5, 2021

5 things you didn’t know about added sugar

Are you being duped by shonky sugary products?

couple_looking_at_nutrition_label_on_jar

March 16, 2021

Does a ‘clean label’ mean better food?

There are few ingredients, and you recognise all of them, but you might not be getting the whole story.

Nuts and oils

Nuts Oils

August 25, 2022

Aldi vs Woolworths vs Coles: The cheapest and best peanut butters

Get the best spread for your dough – while paying peanuts.

peanut butter spread onto two pieces of bread

August 24, 2022

How to buy the best peanut butter

Your guide to choosing peanut butter products that are tastiest, healthiest, 100% Australian or best value for money.

January 24, 2022

Is avocado oil good for you?

Australians have a love affair with avocados, but does the fruit's oil deliver the same dietary goodness?

December 20, 2021

How to buy the best cooking oil

Frying, baking or dressing a salad – find the right oil for the job.

47 peanut butter reviewed

Sweets

Chocolate Desserts

December 4, 2025

Roses, Favourites and Celebrations – which chocolate box is best?

Which variety box is best for nut lovers or fruit-goo fans? Which chocolates are the most and least liked in each box? And which one has gone up a whopping 53% in price since 2020?

July 16, 2025

The best cheap milk chocolate from our taste test

Here's the bargain blocks that beat some more expensive brands, delivering more deliciousness for your dollar.

July 9, 2025

The best milk chocolate blocks we tasted: Cadbury, Lindt, Aldi and more

Looking for the tastiest milk chocolate? The cheapest? Dairy-free? We've got you covered.

March 15, 2024

How to buy ethical chocolate Easter eggs

Navigating labels isn't easy. Here's your guide to buying certified Easter eggs.

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Advice and tools

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What size air conditioner do I need?

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Dodgy Derila: The nightmare pillow brand that outraged customers globally

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Can you save on energy?

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TVs to avoid buying

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Best NBN plans for speed

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Best mobile phones for children and teens

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Should you get a smart doorbell?

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Australia’s best NBN provider

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The best high-interest savings accounts

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How much do you really need to retire?

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How to buy the best car seats, carriers, prams or strollers

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How to buy safe strollers, cots and other baby products

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Travel insurance policies to avoid

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Electric vehicle guide

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What to know before buying an electric bike

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Which supermarket has the cheapest groceries?

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We tested the SPF claims of 20 sunscreens. 16 failed

Your rights

Product reliability

The Shonky Awards